The wife of The Sandbox founder Sebastien Borget was the target of a failed kidnapping attempt at the couple’s home in Villenoy, France, according to French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.
Summary
- Borget’s wife escaped injury after neighbors interrupted a reported kidnapping incident at their Villenoy home.
- JDD says two suspects have been arrested, while four are still being sought by French investigators.
- France has been involved in crypto-41-related seizures since January, raising national security fears.
The reported attack took place on Tuesday, May 20, at the couple’s home on Rue Sadi-Carnot in Villenoy, Seine-et-Marne. Borget is the founder and CEO of The Sandbox, a metaverse platform connected to NFTs and the SAND token. Le Journal du Dimanche said his wife was unharmed.
According to a French newspaper, another suspect arrived at the place dressed as a delivery man. He was wearing a vest and carrying a cardboard box. When Borget’s wife opened the gate, five hooded people entered the courtyard. The group then dragged him and tried to force him into the Citroen C3.
Neighbors stopped the reported abduction
The efforts failed after the neighbors heard the cries of the deceased and intervened. Their actions forced the group to leave the scene before they could take him from the area.
Four suspects fled in a car, while the other two fled on foot. Le Journal du Dimanche reported that the two later ordered a hail truck. Police from the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade stopped that car shortly after.
Additionally, the two arrested suspects were identified by Le Journal du Dimanche as Mateo V., born in 2010, and Walid H., born in 2009. Both are residents of Pantin in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Police found a bag that contained a fake gun, zip ties, and balaclavas, according to the report. The other four suspects are still at large at the time of report. The case has been transferred to the central security unit.
Crypto motivation is being reviewed
Le Journal du Dimanche said that initial evidence suggests that the attempted kidnapping “will be linked to cryptocurrencies.” The wording leaves the motive under investigation, but the case adds to growing concerns about physical attacks on crypto-linked people in France.
Related reports said that French authorities have recorded 41 crypto-related seizures since early 2026. That equates to one case every two and a half days. The same report said officials have prepared emergency agreements and a preventive platform to protect digital asset owners.
As previously reported by crypto.news, France has also been experiencing a widespread increase in wrench attacks. These crimes include physical threats or violence used to force victims to hand over crypto assets. Prosecutors indicted at least 88 people in April for alleged attacks against crypto holders, including ten children.
Authorities said 75 suspects remain in custody ahead of trial as 12 investigations continue in Paris. Prosecutors also warned crypto holders and their relatives to avoid excessive exposure to the internet, which could make them easy targets for criminal gangs.
